Nice review! I had to do a setup on the neck and trem on mine to get it to where I like it. Only complaint I have with the guitar is the locking nut. Sometimes it just doesn't secure the strings as well as it should especially when you're making use of the trem. Overall, an outstanding value of a guitar for the price.
I cant get my action past 2.5mm low E,,high E 1.5mm that's fine,I've tried adjusting the kneck lowering the bridge slowly over days? But not happening!! Frett buzz its annoying,great guitar gonna try shims on nut and try 10s gauge and see how at goes if not then I dont no?
Picked one up about 8-9 months ago . I’m very impressed with it . Mine is pretty much 100% flawless in the finish . Frets came polished , paint and body are perfect . I can find no flaws on it . For a guitar under $500 USD it’s amazing . Now I just picked up a new Gibson Les Paul and it had to be repaired under warranty for a defect and the flaws in the finish are kinda disturbing . So ,, so much for cheap vs expensive guitars .
Nice review, and VERY detailed... BUT, you're missing the point. This is NOT a professional instrument, in regards to top appointments, etc. It IS an AMAZING instrument for the beginning to intermediate player that may be upgrading from a much cheaper instrument. this would be a superior upgrade and would leave the new player with a far superior guitar than say a Silvertone, or Squier, etc. Although, I have to say that those two manufacturers have made giant strides as well recently, and their beginning guitars are pretty darn good these days too!!! But again, the newer type player, whose style would also have to dictate wether this is the right type guitar for them, would be pretty darn shocked at the quality of guitar they're getting for $500!!! I know, as I recently purchased one!!! I've been playing for 35+ years and even I'm shocked at the quality of guitar you get here for the price!!! No need to MOD for the beginner... Maybe a setup... Regards
A professional instrument? What is that? I've played more live shows than you've had hot dinners! The guitar reviewed here is straight and to the point. I bought a yellow one for shits and giggles cause I liked the color. Works great with a standard gauge string set up. As for the quality for the price 600 Canadian is well spent. A few frets needed addressing and an intonation adjustment was all it needed, and ya I did it myself. Don't need a luthier to do it if you know what yer doing. great video by the way! TC
In my blissful opinion I believe you just missed the point of guitar playing overall, or even making music for that matter. What you addressed in your comment is that this is nothing more than an intermediate level instrument. Not true. That’s like saying epiphone is in equal regards to this which is also not true. If that were the case, the big names that endorse them wouldn’t Sign a contract to play and have production models made in their name such as Steve Vai in this case, Ace Frehley, Joe Bonanmassa, Adrian Smith and even Eddie Van Halen with his EVH brand which made guitars in the Jem Jr’s price bracket. I’ve owned Gibson Les Paul customs, American made Jackson’s and Japanese made Ibanez’s where I played them and didn’t care about dings and scratches and modified them because guitars are not meant to be investments. The term “professional” is a bit offensive actually. Guitars are guitars. There are some better than others but at the end of the day they all do the same thing. You don’t like how yours is? Make it work for you. No such thing as professional.
I've wanted a JEM all my guitar playing life but I could never justify spending £1,500 - £2000 on a guitar, so i'll definetly save for this model and mod it to maybe look more like the original EVO, (pearloid pickguard, new pickups, have it set up, etc) :) Great review, thanks! :)
+AstraVex Pretty much the same as me then. lol Definitely get the pearloid pickguard, it looks much better than the horrible stock white one that the guitar ships with. Just don't expect the premium (read as overpriced) quality of the genuine Jem though.
Thats perfectly fine with me. I managed to test one today in my nearest guitar shop and you're right, that neck is brilliantly smooth and the trem is much nicer than the one on my grg250dx :)
I picked one up used in mint condition for under $300.00 It is easily one of my favorite guitars. I have 8 guitars including a couple of high priced shredders like my Jackson DKII professional. This guitar can hold its own with any of them.
+ReaperTV just so you know your video assured me that this was the guitar i wanted I was a die hard Gibson fanboy till I saw this lol this guitar has literally everything I want in a guitar minus the kill switch
Great review Paul! Is the 2015 year that you have still have a Rosewood fingerboard? I know CITES has stopped the use of Rosewood in the beginning of '17. I want Rosewood so I refuse to buy a new one. Thanks again. Great job. Very helpful! Jason.
Aaaaah, damn, some reviews say it’s almost perfect, but some like this one find a lot of flaws, i tried the guitar and i liked it, i really want it, but i want it to last, i dont want to change anything as time passes. Should i pick this one?
Good playing bro hey plz um gonne ask you a couple of questions um gonne buy this guitar and my budget is 400 $ i go for it or choos rg450 or any onther ibanez model ? and what about the tunning stability this is my firt time using a termolo system thnx anyway
+Mario It's not a bad guitar for the money and the tuning stability is fair (which most guitars with a licensed Floyd Rose are). I don't think you'll see much of a difference in quality between this and a RG450 as they are generally around the same price / build quality. Really, it comes down to how it feels to you as a player. If you can get out and try both guitars, then I'd highly recommend doing that. :)
+Jakub Tomaszewski To be honest, if you've never done a setup on a guitar I would recommend taking it to a local Luthier to do. They're generally going to do a better job for you and save you buying tools if you need any fret work done on it.
And doesn't that tremolo go out of tune? I have always heard and read in many places that those JemJR tremolos go out of tune a lot, they almost go out of tune just looking at it. That's why I didn't decide to buy one of those guitars. But I would like to know your opinion. Is it true that those tremolos go out of tune?
good review , i notice same things when i had my JEM jr , pickups were first to go , i'm always trying New things and i go Seymour Duncan section , Dimebag Darrell sh-13 on bridge and yngwie malmsteen singlecoil on middle and i love this setup, i dont really use much neck Pickup so it stayd standard , JEM jr is great value of your money .
+TERROR Id Glad you're liking your Jem Jr. I've got the Dimebucker in an Ibanez Prestige and I'm not overly fussed on it tbh. It sounds a little thin to me. :0)
If you want a new guitar, then the Jem Jr isn't bad at all. If you're not too bothered by being new and want a good, solid FR style trem on a guitar, then I'd look at picking up a used Prestige as they are considerably better quality and will hold tune / sound better in general.
I have a gorgeous white lefty RG450bdxl with black hardware, quantum pickups, the mother of pearl pickguard, black truss rod cover plate on the white headstock and paid around 500 for it. Are these basically the same guitars? The neck on mine has the shark tooth inlays, and white binding. But it sounds beautiful, and I really use the tremalo bar for maximum flats and sharps and the guitar barely ever goes out of tune. I may need to micro-adjust the tune using a tuner once in a while but a beautiful guitar overall. I play it more than i do my 1200$ lefty USA strat.
I'm pretty sure the 450's are a higher quality guitar than the Jem Jr (which is effectively very similar to the 350DX). I'm not an Ibanez guy, but I think the hardware on the 450's is also uprated.
***** I was thinking the same thing too, each very similar to the other except I felt that mine had more attractive looking hardware and pickguard. However, I really like the Tree of Life inlays and wish I had that instead of the shark tooth inlays. I don't know why Ibanez has this fascination with Shark teeth when the Tree of Life, and even dot inlays look much better, and much more mature.
I'm no Ibanez wizard, but it really depends what you want and what your budget is. If you can grab a beaten up prestige, then I'd get one of them any day of the week. I bought a decent RG 1570 from the 90's and it is rock solid. Great tone, stable trem, great neck and I paid about £250 for it a couple of years back. If you can't find one of those used, look for an RG450 as they are supposed to be fantastic guitars.
Hi looking for good dive bombing performance axe. Haven't played in ten years and not good with tech stuff. Is it worth getting this guitar and replacing with a better floyd rose trem or just get a guitar with better trem setup? Can the trem actually be upgraded and is it just the better floyd rose trem that will keep it in tune or are there other factors to consider? Nice playing!
+Andrew S Hi. If you want some serious trem use then a cheaper FR clone probably isn't the best option. If you look at replacing the Ibanez FR then you need to ensure that the trem spacings are exactly the same. Without looking into it, I couldn't say if you could directly replace the trem on this with a genuine one. To be honest, once you factor that in to the overall price, I would probably look at picking up a used guitar with better specs. If you're an ibanez fan, then look for a 90's Prestige RG 1570 - the trem on mine is rock solid. These can be picked up for a few hundred and are worth every penny. With any floating trem, they need to be set up properly. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, then get a guitar tech / luthier to set it up so it plays well and you'll have a far more stable guitar. I hope that helps :0)
Great honest review. Picked up one last week and its absolutely amazing except for one key point - the tremelo keeps slipping and I cant get it to lock how Ive seen it displayed on several reviews
This would be the guitar to get and have the entire neck scalloped, a Fernandez sustainer installed as well as pick up upgrades, new machine heads and you got yourself a FLOII for a lot less money! Hell... I may do just that!
And you know what? I have the real deal, the 7V but I HATE the gold hardware it has. I've always wanted to have it changed to gunmetal like Steves EVO. And this guitar HAS IT ALREADY! haha... I'm getting one dammit!
Nice playing man and pretty detailed review. I know it's a matter of taste, but what sort of pickups would u install in a JEM JR with good sound and also in order not ruin the way it looks??
depends on your budget and preference really. For me if I was on a budget I'd be looking at the Iron Gear pickups. Excellent value for money and surprising good tones (I have a few different models across a few guitars) or Seymour Duncans. If you want to get the Vai tone then an EVO or maybe the matched set of Dark Matters.
Why did Ibanez use that style of Truss Rod Cover, rather than the style with the flick open 'door'? Simples! You can't fit a string retainer bar with the other style. Truss Rod adjustment is an infrequent activity, so it's hardly a big deal. The other reason is because the MIJ Jems don't have that style of Truss Rod cover fitted...
I have a 555 and a japan jem 7v the jem Jr is no comparison to either, I don't why he thinks this entry level guitar is better than tbe 555.the 555 dold for $1100.00 when I bought it and it has resl evolution pick ups in it .ibanez told me my 1999 555 is equal to the jem 7vp that sells for $1700.00 now and is made in Indonesia. My Japanese 7v was $3000.00 and plays incredible there's a huge difference. The 555 or jem Jr could never compare to the 7v japan model.
Great review mate. Honest and detailed. But the cons you gave are pretty easy to fix. Even the pickups sound good to me( i currently have an epiphone les paul 100). I will use my les paul for drop tunings and i will probably get the jem for standard. I think only thing i would have to do in this is the setup. Keep it up my friend.
I've been looking at the Jem Jr. for a while and have some experience with the Floyd Rose set-up, so no problems there. But I would have to agree with you on the pickguard. Anyway, I am just trying to decide between the Jem or another Ibanez but I'm just not ready to hit the "Buy button"... By the way I Loved that last patch you were playing..
+Vegthetics I wouldn't say a 'lot' better than the 350DX, but the trem is better, the feel of the neck (being oiled is very nice). The fretboard inlays and on my example, the fret edging was very good. I've owned both guitars, and for me I would take the Jem Jr over the 350DX without hesitation. Just don't expect premium quality on either.
+ReaperTV thanks for the response, would you say they are very similar in sound then? i want a guitar to handle metal genres (my favourite music), i find my vintage les paul has action way too high for the versatility of metal (like most les pauls), would you recommend I invest in this guitar with a budget of £350?
+Vegthetics it sounds ok as does the 350DX, Ibanez are not really known for making good pups. If you have about £350 to spend, and you like Ibanez; I'd honestly look for a good condition used Prestige. You can get some very good 15.. or 22.. series Prestige for that budget and will get a lot more guitar for your money. If new is the way for you, both the Jem and the 350 are decent guitars, but they are still fairly entry level models and the hardware isn't great IMHO. if you want to gig with them, they really need a good setup to be at their best.
***** thank you, from my experience i tend to have alot of maintenance issues with pre-owned guitars (i.e. action out of place and tunings etc), so id go with an jem jr, what strings did you use in the video? the stock ones? or replaced with another brand like ernie ball etc?
+Vegthetics I'm pretty sure they are still the stock ones, which I think are D'Addario 9-42, but I use Ernie Ball Super Slinkies. So that's what will be on there when I change them. :)
Dimebucker i like it becouse it's all what i was looking for , yjm is working good too , it's little "brighter" and clear , i have dimarzio evolution pickups on my other guitar so it balance little bit , maybe most importan thing when changing pickups is guidelines (what you play?) , i was playing safe and take artist model , but it has to work also your own setup (amplifiers etc..) it's not always sound the same . sorry for long answer .
+TERROR Id I'm a bit of a Seymour Duncan fan; I like the warmer tones they provide. EMG 80/85 I find one dimensional. I do like the SD Blackouts as far as active pups go, they are more versatile than the EMG's. If you can get them, try the Iron Gear pickups out. Great sounding and insanely good price. I had the Evo in an Ltd a little while back, and that has a thinner tone to it too.
i was keen on buying one until you said it was insanely light. im not keen on balsa wood feeling guitars. i think i'll be a second hand premium or something. incidentally, i'd be interested in seeing a vid of how it plays after a setup and upgrades
@@qztip Yeah I know what it's made of, but it's been pointed out that it's VERY light on many videos. Once again, very nice for the cash, but I'd probably spend the money on a used Japanese RG from the 90s or something like that.
Sorry, but it's a beautiful instrument, I was lookig the posts on TH-cam, and Professional says this Ibanez for the price is wonderfull, the disign not important, tone principal , and beautiful ' sorry for my English , I'm french thanks '
i don't like modding, you no longer have the guitar you bought. if someone asks what guitar you have, you can't just say "oh ye, i have a JEMJR" because you don't, you've modded the fuck out of it, its no longer a JEMJR and it now costs £600. recommending a guitar only if you're going to change bits about it isn't a good recommendation. just buy a better guitar. If you're buying a now £400 guitar, you're getting insane value for the money. if you want it to be perfect, you buy a prestige for £1000+. It's the entry model, can't compare it to higher end guitars. People are probably looking at this guitar as an upgrade from their cheap beginners guitar they got for around £100. For them, it will be an upgrade in every way.
Nit picking that’s all this is 🤨 When you’re onstage and playing it and it’s sounding good that’s all that matters. Yes it’s a budget guitar and General Joe in the audience won’t hear any difference in this or the one that’s 3 times the money. Set it up and away you go.
So you don't like the pickups, finish, bridge, neck, gaurd, tunners, pots, or the wood it is made from. Maybe you should have bought a different guitar, or maybe talk to your doctor about depression.
ReaperTV I did, twice now. And since I have been looking for a mid price guitar I have been watching a lot of this type of video. Your review falls squarely in the "I wish I had bought a better one" category. Often seen in the mim strat or Epiphone Les Paul reviews. Not that it was a poor review, it is just obvious that you wanted a jem7v not a jemjr
Not at all, while I love the look of a lot of the full fat Jem's, I think they are (as with most signature guitars) well over priced. I wasn't expecting the same quality as a Prestige or Premium and wasn't disappointed in what the guitar offered for the money. I also didn't say I didn't like the wood or the finish, I said the guitar was incredibly light and that it was a bit of a shock. From my experience with other Ibanez guitars, this is by far, and I mean, by far, the lightest one I've ever played or owned. That wasn't a criticism, just an observation. The paint job on mine was pretty good apart from the noted area around the neck bolt holes. I also didn't say that I didn't like the bridge. I said that the fine tuners were rough on my copy but the trem was pretty stable. As for the neck, I said that the detailing was great, the fret work was surprisingly good and the feel of the neck was great apart from a couple of small blemishes! My bridge comments were referring the the older ibanez jem 555, which was not very well regarded. Yes, the pickguard looked horrible and the pick-ups are pretty 'meh', but Ibanez are not exactly renowned for creating good pups! So, all in I think you have somewhat missed the points covered in the review / demo. Also, I certainly wouldn't class this as a 'mid priced' guitar. This is squarely a budget model.
your review is kinda spot on. i agree with most of the stuff you said, except for the ibanez tuners being crap? i don't think so. they do a good job with the tuning. less on the precision though. but yeah, i actually envy you for having the full tree of life inlays, while i just have the standard dots. you also have a good tremolo system too. i got the 2014 model of the jr. feels and plays nice, yeah, but the standard IBZ pickups that came with it are definitely shit. but i do like the neck pickup tho. i'll give the jem jr. a 7/10 with all the default stuff on it and your review a 8/10. on point.
skateboarding!!, thats what rock guitar is now like! its just about tricks and stuff like that. apologies for my rudeness! i'll just have to stop watching you tube i guess...
It's not about what you play with, but how you play with... Rock you Reaper TV..
Not sure we need another guitar reviewer after this.
Well done!
Nice review! I had to do a setup on the neck and trem on mine to get it to where I like it. Only complaint I have with the guitar is the locking nut. Sometimes it just doesn't secure the strings as well as it should especially when you're making use of the trem. Overall, an outstanding value of a guitar for the price.
I cant get my action past 2.5mm low E,,high E 1.5mm that's fine,I've tried adjusting the kneck lowering the bridge slowly over days? But not happening!! Frett buzz its annoying,great guitar gonna try shims on nut and try 10s gauge and see how at goes if not then I dont no?
Picked one up about 8-9 months ago . I’m very impressed with it . Mine is pretty much 100% flawless in the finish . Frets came polished , paint and body are perfect . I can find no flaws on it . For a guitar under $500 USD it’s amazing . Now I just picked up a new Gibson
Les Paul and it had to be repaired under warranty for a defect and the flaws in the finish are kinda disturbing . So ,, so much for cheap vs expensive guitars .
Thank you for an honest review!
Nice review, and VERY detailed...
BUT, you're missing the point.
This is NOT a professional instrument, in regards to top appointments, etc.
It IS an AMAZING instrument for the beginning to intermediate player that may be upgrading from a much cheaper instrument. this would be a superior upgrade and would leave the new player with a far superior guitar than say a Silvertone, or Squier, etc. Although, I have to say that those two manufacturers have made giant strides as well recently, and their beginning guitars are pretty darn good these days too!!!
But again, the newer type player, whose style would also have to dictate wether this is the right type guitar for them, would be pretty darn shocked at the quality of guitar they're getting for $500!!!
I know, as I recently purchased one!!!
I've been playing for 35+ years and even I'm shocked at the quality of guitar you get here for the price!!!
No need to MOD for the beginner...
Maybe a setup...
Regards
A professional instrument? What is that? I've played more live shows than you've had hot dinners! The guitar reviewed here is straight and to the point. I bought a yellow one for shits and giggles cause I liked the color. Works great with a standard gauge string set up. As for the quality for the price 600 Canadian is well spent. A few frets needed addressing and an intonation adjustment was all it needed, and ya I did it myself. Don't need a luthier to do it if you know what yer doing. great video by the way! TC
Sounds okay to me, when it's used by a player th-cam.com/video/l9A6f1OkYxU/w-d-xo.html
This is no such thing as a professional instrument
In my blissful opinion I believe you just missed the point of guitar playing overall, or even making music for that matter. What you addressed in your comment is that this is nothing more than an intermediate level instrument. Not true. That’s like saying epiphone is in equal regards to this which is also not true. If that were the case, the big names that endorse them wouldn’t Sign a contract to play and have production models made in their name such as Steve Vai in this case, Ace Frehley, Joe Bonanmassa, Adrian Smith and even Eddie Van Halen with his EVH brand which made guitars in the Jem Jr’s price bracket. I’ve owned Gibson Les Paul customs, American made Jackson’s and Japanese made Ibanez’s where I played them and didn’t care about dings and scratches and modified them because guitars are not meant to be investments. The term “professional” is a bit offensive actually. Guitars are guitars. There are some better than others but at the end of the day they all do the same thing. You don’t like how yours is? Make it work for you. No such thing as professional.
You made it sound like a $3000 JEM with how well you played! Awesome!
I've wanted a JEM all my guitar playing life but I could never justify spending £1,500 - £2000 on a guitar, so i'll definetly save for this model and mod it to maybe look more like the original EVO, (pearloid pickguard, new pickups, have it set up, etc) :) Great review, thanks! :)
+AstraVex Pretty much the same as me then. lol
Definitely get the pearloid pickguard, it looks much better than the horrible stock white one that the guitar ships with. Just don't expect the premium (read as overpriced) quality of the genuine Jem though.
Thats perfectly fine with me. I managed to test one today in my nearest guitar shop and you're right, that neck is brilliantly smooth and the trem is much nicer than the one on my grg250dx :)
AstraVex Then I think you'll enjoy one then ;0)
Just ordered this. Thanks for the review
+Boab Beveridge No problem; I hope you enjoy your new purchase :0)
That is a fantastic tone and a great review thank you for making it
I picked one up used in mint condition for under $300.00
It is easily one of my favorite guitars. I have 8 guitars including a couple of high priced shredders like my Jackson DKII professional.
This guitar can hold its own with any of them.
DkII is an awesome guitar, these must have impressed you
Most honest review I've seen. Thanks!
+B Gran My pleasure, hope you found it useful :0)
Just bought one. Expecting it Wednesday...
how are you liking it 2 years later?
@@johnconroy9989 I had to block the Floyd Rose Trem...Nightmare....Other than that its great..
@@thedarkness97 why a nightmare? Tuning stability issues?... If so when did they pop up?
Or do you just not like Floyd rose trems?
Tuning and popping out. I may on day become confident to give it another go, at floating it..
Thanks for the honest review mate
No problem at all.
Good review...if i'm honest
did not expect that kind of playing old dude can rock! \m/
Lol, thanks .. I think. ;0)
+ReaperTV just so you know your video assured me that this was the guitar i wanted I was a die hard Gibson fanboy till I saw this lol this guitar has literally everything I want in a guitar minus the kill switch
Cool! I hope you're happy with it :0)
“Old dude” !!! He’s not old lolz
Love this guitar!!! ❤
Great review Paul! Is the 2015 year that you have still have a Rosewood fingerboard? I know CITES has stopped the use of Rosewood in the beginning of '17. I want Rosewood so I refuse to buy a new one. Thanks again. Great job. Very helpful! Jason.
Aaaaah, damn, some reviews say it’s almost perfect, but some like this one find a lot of flaws, i tried the guitar and i liked it, i really want it, but i want it to last, i dont want to change anything as time passes. Should i pick this one?
Good playing bro
hey plz um gonne ask you a couple of questions
um gonne buy this guitar and my budget is 400 $ i go for it or choos rg450 or any onther ibanez model ?
and what about the tunning stability this is my firt time using a termolo system
thnx anyway
+Mario It's not a bad guitar for the money and the tuning stability is fair (which most guitars with a licensed Floyd Rose are). I don't think you'll see much of a difference in quality between this and a RG450 as they are generally around the same price / build quality.
Really, it comes down to how it feels to you as a player. If you can get out and try both guitars, then I'd highly recommend doing that. :)
Thanks for the review. Can you point me to a good video for the setup you talked about? Thanks in advance!
+Jakub Tomaszewski To be honest, if you've never done a setup on a guitar I would recommend taking it to a local Luthier to do. They're generally going to do a better job for you and save you buying tools if you need any fret work done on it.
Great review... great shredding
And doesn't that tremolo go out of tune? I have always heard and read in many places that those JemJR tremolos go out of tune a lot, they almost go out of tune just looking at it. That's why I didn't decide to buy one of those guitars. But I would like to know your opinion. Is it true that those tremolos go out of tune?
Hi Mate, thanks for good review. I agree with about evo pickups. Which pickups would you recommend me to install?
fantastic review, fantastic guitar
Great review
good review , i notice same things when i had my JEM jr , pickups were first to go , i'm always trying New things and i go Seymour Duncan section , Dimebag Darrell sh-13 on bridge and yngwie malmsteen singlecoil on middle and i love this setup, i dont really use much neck Pickup so it stayd standard , JEM jr is great value of your money .
+TERROR Id Glad you're liking your Jem Jr. I've got the Dimebucker in an Ibanez Prestige and I'm not overly fussed on it tbh. It sounds a little thin to me. :0)
I'm a Dimebucker guy myself, I've put one in 3 of my guitars (2 Jacksons and a Dean).
I'm thinking of buying this as my first guitar with a Floyd style bridge once i save up a bit of money. Do you think this would be a good start?
If you want a new guitar, then the Jem Jr isn't bad at all. If you're not too bothered by being new and want a good, solid FR style trem on a guitar, then I'd look at picking up a used Prestige as they are considerably better quality and will hold tune / sound better in general.
ok thank you
If this review wasnt on TH-cam I literally wouldn't buy myself a Jem Jr. Thanks
I have a gorgeous white lefty RG450bdxl with black hardware, quantum pickups, the mother of pearl pickguard, black truss rod cover plate on the white headstock and paid around 500 for it.
Are these basically the same guitars?
The neck on mine has the shark tooth inlays, and white binding. But it sounds beautiful, and I really use the tremalo bar for maximum flats and sharps and the guitar barely ever goes out of tune. I may need to micro-adjust the tune using a tuner once in a while but a beautiful guitar overall. I play it more than i do my 1200$ lefty USA strat.
I'm pretty sure the 450's are a higher quality guitar than the Jem Jr (which is effectively very similar to the 350DX). I'm not an Ibanez guy, but I think the hardware on the 450's is also uprated.
***** I was thinking the same thing too, each very similar to the other except I felt that mine had more attractive looking hardware and pickguard. However, I really like the Tree of Life inlays and wish I had that instead of the shark tooth inlays. I don't know why Ibanez has this fascination with Shark teeth when the Tree of Life, and even dot inlays look much better, and much more mature.
So, I love the ibanez rg series and I love modding. Which affordable rg would you recommend? Which has the best neck and trem system?
I'm no Ibanez wizard, but it really depends what you want and what your budget is.
If you can grab a beaten up prestige, then I'd get one of them any day of the week. I bought a decent RG 1570 from the 90's and it is rock solid. Great tone, stable trem, great neck and I paid about £250 for it a couple of years back.
If you can't find one of those used, look for an RG450 as they are supposed to be fantastic guitars.
Hi looking for good dive bombing performance axe. Haven't played in ten years and not good with tech stuff. Is it worth getting this guitar and replacing with a better floyd rose trem or just get a guitar with better trem setup? Can the trem actually be upgraded and is it just the better floyd rose trem that will keep it in tune or are there other factors to consider? Nice playing!
+Andrew S Hi. If you want some serious trem use then a cheaper FR clone probably isn't the best option. If you look at replacing the Ibanez FR then you need to ensure that the trem spacings are exactly the same. Without looking into it, I couldn't say if you could directly replace the trem on this with a genuine one.
To be honest, once you factor that in to the overall price, I would probably look at picking up a used guitar with better specs. If you're an ibanez fan, then look for a 90's Prestige RG 1570 - the trem on mine is rock solid. These can be picked up for a few hundred and are worth every penny.
With any floating trem, they need to be set up properly. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, then get a guitar tech / luthier to set it up so it plays well and you'll have a far more stable guitar.
I hope that helps :0)
Great honest review. Picked up one last week and its absolutely amazing except for one key point - the tremelo keeps slipping and I cant get it to lock how Ive seen it displayed on several reviews
Nice review!
This would be the guitar to get and have the entire neck scalloped, a Fernandez sustainer installed as well as pick up upgrades, new machine heads and you got yourself a FLOII for a lot less money! Hell... I may do just that!
And you know what? I have the real deal, the 7V but I HATE the gold hardware it has. I've always wanted to have it changed to gunmetal like Steves EVO. And this guitar HAS IT ALREADY! haha... I'm getting one dammit!
I bought the JR.
Pick ups and bridge need to be changed other then that, great guitar. Luv the neck and feel.
Great work Ibanez.
With this guitar we can also playing classic rock and blues?
You could play anything with this guitar....
flamenco
Nice playing man and pretty detailed review. I know it's a matter of taste, but what sort of pickups would u install in a JEM JR with good sound and also in order not ruin the way it looks??
depends on your budget and preference really. For me if I was on a budget I'd be looking at the Iron Gear pickups. Excellent value for money and surprising good tones (I have a few different models across a few guitars) or Seymour Duncans.
If you want to get the Vai tone then an EVO or maybe the matched set of Dark Matters.
It comes with ceramic magnet pups. I would go with alnico 3 or 5 pickups. You will get more clarity and gain a little bottom end.
What amp
you have a Dave Murray style.. nice
Why did Ibanez use that style of Truss Rod Cover, rather than the style with the flick open 'door'? Simples! You can't fit a string retainer bar with the other style. Truss Rod adjustment is an infrequent activity, so it's hardly a big deal. The other reason is because the MIJ Jems don't have that style of Truss Rod cover fitted...
Great review! Thank you!
In theory this is just a rg 350dx carved out handle and trem dug out. Right???????????
In theory...
I have a 555 and a japan jem 7v the jem Jr is no comparison to either, I don't why he thinks this entry level guitar is better than tbe 555.the 555 dold for $1100.00 when I bought it and it has resl evolution pick ups in it .ibanez told me my 1999 555 is equal to the jem 7vp that sells for $1700.00 now and is made in Indonesia. My Japanese 7v was $3000.00 and plays incredible there's a huge difference. The 555 or jem Jr could never compare to the 7v japan model.
Amazing
hello, very good video, I wonder where I buy this guitar, but in yellow and black? thank you!
+lais Teixeira I'm afraid it's only available in white at the moment and I don't think Ibanez have any plans to release it in other colours.
Sweetwater has it in other colors now.
ok thanks. the 450dx was the one I was looking at.
No worries. The 450's are a great guitar :0)
Great review mate. Honest and detailed. But the cons you gave are pretty easy to fix. Even the pickups sound good to me( i currently have an epiphone les paul 100). I will use my les paul for drop tunings and i will probably get the jem for standard. I think only thing i would have to do in this is the setup. Keep it up my friend.
I've been looking at the Jem Jr. for a while and have some experience with the Floyd Rose set-up, so no problems there. But I would have to agree with you on the pickguard. Anyway, I am just trying to decide between the Jem or another Ibanez but I'm just not ready to hit the "Buy button"... By the way I Loved that last patch you were playing..
Thanks for this review. Now I must wait for delivery of my first giutar:D I hope sounds like yours.
Enjoy it, it's a nice guitar 👍🏻
alot better then the ibanez rg350dx?
+Vegthetics I wouldn't say a 'lot' better than the 350DX, but the trem is better, the feel of the neck (being oiled is very nice). The fretboard inlays and on my example, the fret edging was very good.
I've owned both guitars, and for me I would take the Jem Jr over the 350DX without hesitation. Just don't expect premium quality on either.
+ReaperTV thanks for the response, would you say they are very similar in sound then? i want a guitar to handle metal genres (my favourite music), i find my vintage les paul has action way too high for the versatility of metal (like most les pauls), would you recommend I invest in this guitar with a budget of £350?
+Vegthetics it sounds ok as does the 350DX, Ibanez are not really known for making good pups. If you have about £350 to spend, and you like Ibanez; I'd honestly look for a good condition used Prestige. You can get some very good 15.. or 22.. series Prestige for that budget and will get a lot more guitar for your money.
If new is the way for you, both the Jem and the 350 are decent guitars, but they are still fairly entry level models and the hardware isn't great IMHO. if you want to gig with them, they really need a good setup to be at their best.
***** thank you, from my experience i tend to have alot of maintenance issues with pre-owned guitars (i.e. action out of place and tunings etc), so id go with an jem jr, what strings did you use in the video? the stock ones? or replaced with another brand like ernie ball etc?
+Vegthetics I'm pretty sure they are still the stock ones, which I think are D'Addario 9-42, but I use Ernie Ball Super Slinkies. So that's what will be on there when I change them. :)
Dimebucker i like it becouse it's all what i was looking for ,
yjm is working good too , it's little "brighter" and clear , i have dimarzio evolution pickups on my other guitar so it balance little bit , maybe most importan thing when changing pickups is guidelines
(what you play?) , i was playing safe and take artist model , but it has to work also your own setup (amplifiers etc..) it's not always sound the same .
sorry for long answer .
+TERROR Id I'm a bit of a Seymour Duncan fan; I like the warmer tones they provide. EMG 80/85 I find one dimensional. I do like the SD Blackouts as far as active pups go, they are more versatile than the EMG's. If you can get them, try the Iron Gear pickups out. Great sounding and insanely good price.
I had the Evo in an Ltd a little while back, and that has a thinner tone to it too.
I'll keep that in mind , thanks .
hi
Are you honest?
How about the strings it comes with and does it come with any gig pack?
According to ibanez brand which guitar will be the best under $500?
Please anyone can answer me
Polish the frets, but leave it alone. You have a unique guitar on it's own.
Nice guitar 😍😍😍
I don't really get it. so is it like a rg350dx or something different?
It's like a modified and slightly upgraded RG350DX.
does anyone know if the Rd 350dx pick guard matches up with the jem jr?
+Brandon Muggy Should be fine, I'm pretty sure that's what I swapped mine out for (after this vid was shot).
i was keen on buying one until you said it was insanely light. im not keen on balsa wood feeling guitars. i think i'll be a second hand premium or something. incidentally, i'd be interested in seeing a vid of how it plays after a setup and upgrades
its a mahogany body.
@@qztip Yeah I know what it's made of, but it's been pointed out that it's VERY light on many videos. Once again, very nice for the cash, but I'd probably spend the money on a used Japanese RG from the 90s or something like that.
MIght be looking to buy this one, Right now I have an Ibanez RG270DX, can someone tell me whether this one is better than the 270DX or not?
Having owned a 350DX I would say that it is a step up, but not a massive leap in terms of quality.
that guitar is only 500$ right?
+Antonio Lopez I'm not 100% sure of the US price, but $500 sounds about right yeah.
***** alrighttt! Thats what i like to hear nice!
Does this have sustainiac pickup
John Mills no, just normal cheap Ibanez pickups.
Top job buddy \m/
Sorry, but it's a beautiful instrument, I was lookig the posts on TH-cam, and Professional says this Ibanez for the price is wonderfull, the disign not important, tone principal , and beautiful ' sorry for my English , I'm french thanks '
i don't like modding, you no longer have the guitar you bought. if someone asks what guitar you have, you can't just say "oh ye, i have a JEMJR" because you don't, you've modded the fuck out of it, its no longer a JEMJR and it now costs £600. recommending a guitar only if you're going to change bits about it isn't a good recommendation. just buy a better guitar.
If you're buying a now £400 guitar, you're getting insane value for the money. if you want it to be perfect, you buy a prestige for £1000+. It's the entry model, can't compare it to higher end guitars.
People are probably looking at this guitar as an upgrade from their cheap beginners guitar they got for around £100. For them, it will be an upgrade in every way.
music name in the intro?????
Check ou the Sophia 2:92 upgrade comparison ...th-cam.com/video/f6FyGecTd3c/w-d-xo.html
i mean, im just gonna get this guitar as an entry level jem before i get a jem77wdp
dam man you are a awesome guitar player,.dangit
Jem jr is incredible
No body really knows this but the trem system is a edge and little too be known they are genuine evos
My Jem jr is perfect no flaws the only difference is jr is on the headstock
Nit picking that’s all this is 🤨
When you’re onstage and playing it and it’s sounding good that’s all that matters.
Yes it’s a budget guitar and General Joe in the audience won’t hear any difference in this or the one that’s 3 times the money.
Set it up and away you go.
It sounds terrible😱😱😱🥶🥶. What amp do you use ???😱😱😱
08:45~13:05
So you don't like the pickups, finish, bridge, neck, gaurd, tunners, pots, or the wood it is made from. Maybe you should have bought a different guitar, or maybe talk to your doctor about depression.
todd horst did you actually take the time to watch the video? Jeez! 🤨
ReaperTV I did, twice now. And since I have been looking for a mid price guitar I have been watching a lot of this type of video.
Your review falls squarely in the "I wish I had bought a better one" category. Often seen in the mim strat or Epiphone Les Paul reviews. Not that it was a poor review, it is just obvious that you wanted a jem7v not a jemjr
Not at all, while I love the look of a lot of the full fat Jem's, I think they are (as with most signature guitars) well over priced. I wasn't expecting the same quality as a Prestige or Premium and wasn't disappointed in what the guitar offered for the money.
I also didn't say I didn't like the wood or the finish, I said the guitar was incredibly light and that it was a bit of a shock. From my experience with other Ibanez guitars, this is by far, and I mean, by far, the lightest one I've ever played or owned. That wasn't a criticism, just an observation. The paint job on mine was pretty good apart from the noted area around the neck bolt holes.
I also didn't say that I didn't like the bridge. I said that the fine tuners were rough on my copy but the trem was pretty stable. As for the neck, I said that the detailing was great, the fret work was surprisingly good and the feel of the neck was great apart from a couple of small blemishes! My bridge comments were referring the the older ibanez jem 555, which was not very well regarded.
Yes, the pickguard looked horrible and the pick-ups are pretty 'meh', but Ibanez are not exactly renowned for creating good pups!
So, all in I think you have somewhat missed the points covered in the review / demo.
Also, I certainly wouldn't class this as a 'mid priced' guitar. This is squarely a budget model.
your review is kinda spot on. i agree with most of the stuff you said, except for the ibanez tuners being crap? i don't think so. they do a good job with the tuning. less on the precision though. but yeah, i actually envy you for having the full tree of life inlays, while i just have the standard dots. you also have a good tremolo system too. i got the 2014 model of the jr. feels and plays nice, yeah, but the standard IBZ pickups that came with it are definitely shit. but i do like the neck pickup tho.
i'll give the jem jr. a 7/10 with all the default stuff on it
and your review a 8/10. on point.
Off topic, but he looks like Kevin Alejandro
why did you buy it if you did't like it?
Umm, when did I say I didn't like it?
mine is so heavy...
+Lucian Radu Really?
if you compare it to acoustic guitars. yeah it is heavy. but for electrics RG and JEMs are pretty lightweight
I think you're just nitpicking
The guitar is over £400
You sound like you descirbe a squier xD
fast but unmusical boring licks, like so many "rock" players on here!! country is clearly the new rock n roll!
And 'rude' must be the new good manners! lol
skateboarding!!, thats what rock guitar is now like! its just about tricks and stuff like that.
apologies for my rudeness! i'll just have to stop watching you tube i guess...
This review is rubbish! He doesn't even like EVO's!!!!
Omg nooooo!!!! 😆
Good review but this for me is the worst jem ever. i've played in my instrument shoop buy i not like it.
До хрена грязи